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Exploring the special effects that bring entertainment to life.

Movie Magic

Entertainment

A battle scene where a forest gets burned to the ground. An FBI agent jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Cars falling from the sky. Or a super-spy escaping the possibility of being eaten by crocodiles by jumping onto their backs.These are just a few scenes from well-known movies that could have viewers asking each other, “How did they do that?” Or perhaps the audience assumed the scenes were fake, produced using <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/live-action-films-with-the-best-cgi-effects/randolph">computer-generated images</a> or another type of visual effect.But as these behind-the-scenes stories show, the stunts or events described below are real, produced with little to no <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unnecessary-cgi-in-movies/ezra-hendren">special effects</a>.

Movie Scenes You Thought Were Fake But Weren't

Film

TGWrites

Mental Health & Illness

Lots of people dream of being famous, though it's not all it's cracked up to be. As many actors will attest, fame can present various practical and emotional <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/downsides-huge-movie-franchise/anncasano">challenges</a>, especially if it comes very suddenly or early in life. Loss of privacy may be the most common complaint, but it's far from the only one. Substance abuse, difficulty forming trusting relationships, getting stuck in a particular type of role or film, and career burnout are just some of the issues that the actors mentioned below have had to reckon with after achieving fame in movies and television.

Actors Talk About Struggling At The Height of Their Fame

Person

Lists about professional wrestling in all its incarnations, with info about the men and women behind the spandex and ranking everything in the arena, from gimmicks to mustaches.

The Wide World of Wrastlin'

Accidents

Professional wrestling has built a large and very loyal fanbase through its combination of sports and over-the-top entertainment. As most fans know, the matches are generally heavily scripted, and wrestlers assume larger-than-life personas that can be defined as either a “hero” or a “villain."But as viewers have seen over the years, even the most carefully planned events can go wrong. For example, one (or all) of the participants may decide to go off script, or a planned move gets botched. When these real-life moments occur, the results can be disastrous. Riots have broken out among fans, and wrestlers have been <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/chris-benoit-family-tragedy-2007/tracey-graham">seriously injured and even killed</a>.Here are some of the times <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/pro-wrestling-controversies-that-outraged-fans/tracey-graham">pro wrestling events</a> have gotten far too real for comfort.

11 Intense Times Pro Wrestling Got Way Too Real

General

Intense Times Pro-Wrestling Got Way Too Real

Graveyard Shift

In 2004, a group of men claiming to be the Sri Lankan National Handball Team disappeared while participating in a tournament in Germany. Unbeknownst to both the organization that sponsored the trip and the team's German hosts, Sri Lanka actually had no national handball team.Instead the men, none of whom had any <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/sports-controversy-history-moments/tracey-graham">previous handball experience</a>, had come together just a few weeks prior with a plan that would legally get them out of Sri Lanka and help them emigrate to Italy. This bizarre story became world news, and in 2008, it inspired the film Machan, a fictionalized version of the Sri Lankan handball team saga.Here are the behind-the-scenes details of how the scheme was put together and carried out, as well as the fallout when government officials - and the team's sponsor - learned of their<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/forgotten-scandals/lauren-glen"> deception</a>.

The Entire Sri Lankan Handball Team Vanished In Germany, But Did The Team Even Exist?

Sri Lankan Handball Team Vanishing

Founded in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks now operates more than 30,000 locations worldwide, including down the street from your office, around the corner from your gym, and inside your own home

Gotta Have My 'Bucks

Coffee

Starbucks was founded in 1971 as a coffee bean store in Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA. By November 2021, it had over 33,000 locations in 80 countries and was worth approximately $100 billion. Over the decades, the coffee giant has had more than its fair share of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/controversies-that-upset-us-in-2022-v2/mel-judson">controversies</a>, from being accused of hating Christmas to defrauding customers by underfilling their drinks.&nbsp;Here are the stories about some of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/burger-king-controversies/sonja-ska">the biggest controversies</a> in Starbucks's history.

Starbucks Scandals That Caused Trenta Cups Full Of Controversy

The Biggest Starbucks Controversies

Are you the "Sports Guy" on your trivia team? Welcome to your new secret weapons: lists of fascinating facts and obscure info you need to know yesterday.

You Think You Know Athletes?

Weird History

When it comes to Black athletes breaking racial barriers in sports, there's a good chance that the first name that would come to mind would be Jackie Robinson, who is credited as the first Black baseball player to compete in the major leagues. Robinson's story of joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, and the racist abuse and Jim Crow-era laws he had to deal with, has been well chronicled. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-inspirational-olympic-stories/pedro-cerrano">Jesse Owens's triumph in front of Adolf Hitler</a> at the 1936 Summer Olympics is another well-known tale.Less well known are the stories of many other Black pioneers in sports. Like Moses Fleetwood Walker, who actually played major-league baseball some 60-plus years prior to &nbsp;Robinson. Or John Baxter Taylor, the aspiring veterinarian who became the first Black athlete to win an Olympic gold medal, only to die tragically just a few months later. Or Charlie Sifford, the golfer whose determination to be allowed to compete in the same tournaments as white golfers paved the way for someone like Tiger Woods to be able to play on the PGA Tour.Theirs are just a few of the stories to be found below. Read on, and vote up the items you found most inspiring.

Black Athletes Who Broke Racial Barriers In Sport

Black Athletes Who Broke Racial Barriers In Sports

Ranking, deconstructing, and thinking about movies based on books, TV shows based on comics, plays based on cartoons, musicals based on toys, etc.

Great Adaptations

Culture

The floor piano at FAO Schwartz that Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia play a duet on in Big. The various <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-non-chocolate-candies?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">types of candy</a> produced by the eccentric Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The café run by a pair of two best friends (and possibly lovers) in the small town of Whistle Stop, AL in Fried Green Tomatoes. These are just some of the memorable products and places that have played a huge role in films, television shows, and books over the years. Many places or products may not have existed at the time that an author wrote his novel or the movie was released, but they impact the reader or viewing audience so much that they become part of pop culture.And on occasion, that product or place is seen to have possibilities beyond just being part of a book, television show, or movie and is turned into real products or businesses such as the Swingline red stapler and the series of best-selling mystery novels allegedly written by the title character from the ABC series Castle.But how did a chain of hotels get named after the fictional inn from a 1940s Bing Crosby-Fred Astaire musical, or did Nike come up with a pair of self-lacing shoes based on the ones worn by Marty McFly? And which ones turned out to be good ideas for a real business or product?

15 Times Fictional Pop Culture Turned Into Real Businesses

Times Fictional Pop Culture Turned Into Real Businesses

Watchworthy

No matter how effortless a finished movie looks to the audience, if viewers had the opportunity to go behind the scenes of any film, they'd likely find that while the production might have been easy at times, it was also occasionally grueling, chaotic, or frustrating. Even a scene that appears simple on paper - like catching an object or walking through a door - can take hours, if not days, to get right. Maybe the director is a perfectionist. Maybe the actor is hampered by their costume. Maybe <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-low-tech-special-effects-in-movies/anncasano">special effects</a> (SFX) or visual effects (VFX) are needed to get the necessary effect. Or maybe a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/behind-the-scenes-stories-of-famous-props/anncasano">prop</a> fails and has to be replaced.Whatever the reason, when it comes to moviemaking, no scene is as easy to film as it seems.

12 Movie Moments That Seem Simple But Were Incredibly Difficult To Film

Simple Scenes That Were Hard To Do

A day of wine, chocolate, and sappy movies—time to celebrate love between couples, crushes, friends, pets, and everyone in between.

Be My Valentine

Valentine's Day

In the 21st century, some view <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-valentines-day-movies/ranker-film">Valentine's Day</a> as a holiday to celebrate love in all its forms (although primarily romantic love), while others deride it as an overly commercialized holiday that is focused more on boosting the sales of flowers, candy, greeting cards, and jewelry <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/vinegar-valentines/dani-porter">than it is on celebrating love</a>.&nbsp;When the holiday rose to prominence in the Middle Ages, it was definitely focused on the ideas of love and romance. It was also dedicated to honoring the saint for which the holiday was named - a 3rd century martyr (or martyrs) named Valentinus (Valentine), the patron saint of (among other things) lovers, engaged people, and happily married couples.The thing is, there is little historical evidence that Valentinus had any interest in love or romance. In fact, the history surrounding the man (or men - it is unclear whether the martyred Saint Valentine was one person or two) is very dark, as according to legend he was imprisoned and then beheaded by order of Emperor Claudius II, most likely because he attempted to convert pagans to Christianity. A couple hundred years later, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 - the day that Valentinus was executed - to be the martyr's saint's day.So how did we get from those dark origins to the traditions surrounding the current Valentine's Day? Hopefully, this article will provide some answers.

The Dark (And Surprisingly Convoluted) Origins Of Valentine's Day

The Dark Origins Of Valentine's Day

Historical Facts

Some historical information might be <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/random-trivia-facts/elle-tharp">classified as trivia</a>, maybe even <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/dumb-funny-facts/elle-tharp">too silly</a> to be taken seriously. Sometimes the reaction will be along the lines of, “Nah, that didn't really happen.”But as strange as they might seem, the examples in this article, including a 61-year-old potato farmer who smashed a record at a sporting event, and Kevin Bacon paying off wedding DJs, have really happened. Check out these bizarre facts!

16 Bizarre History Facts That Sound Made Up, But Aren't

Strange Historical Facts That Sound Made Up But Aren't

Pop Culture

Before the last 30 years or so, even <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/largest-movie-budgets-adjusted-for-inflation/cdu827?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">big budget movies</a> tended to depend mainly on practical effects and camera tricks for the majority of the special effects. CGI (computer-generated imaging) has been around for decades -the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stikkymedia.com/history-of-cgi-in-movies/">first use of computer animation in a feature film</a> is thought to be the opening sequence in Vertigo (1958) - but it wasn't until Toy Story was released in 1995 that a feature film was made entirely with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/live-action-films-with-the-best-cgi-effects/randolph">CGI</a>.The arrival of CGI and other expensive, sophisticated VFX did not mean the end of practical effects being used in movies, whether for budgetary or scheduling reasons, or the director preferred using a simpler technique.Here are some behind-the-scenes stories about how notable big budget films used creative cheap special effects.

16 Surprisingly Cheap Visual Tricks Used In Big Budget Movies

Cheap VFX In Expensive Movies

The “Frat Pack” is a nickname that was given to a group of actors who have appeared together in some of the highest-grossing comedies of the past 30 years. The “frat pack” is said to include Ben Stiller, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/will-ferrel-movie-details/loren-o_connell">Will Ferrell</a>, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and Luke Wilson.&nbsp;The nickname was <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2004-06-15-frat-pack_x.htm">used by USA Today in 2004</a> and quickly picked up by other media outlets such as Entertainment Weekly (who originally called these actors <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090712021553/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,611646,00.html">the “Slacker Pack”</a>).Among the blockbuster films that some or all of these “Frat Packers” starred in are: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/ben-stiller-movies-small-details/tpetersccc">Meet the Parents</a>, and Wedding Crashers. Here are some of the behind-the-scenes stories about these and other “Frat Pack” movies.

13 Behind-The-Scenes Stories About Frat Pack Movies

Behind-The-Scenes Stories About Frat Pack Movies

These are the most dramatic, petty, savage, and entertaining rivalries since Cain & Abel.

Where's the Beef?

2000s

Celebrity feuds aren't a recent phenomenon; in fact, they have likely been around ever since the concept of fame was introduced. In Hollywood, these feuds are fueled by - and sometimes invented by - the general public and/or the media. In fact, during the Golden Era of Hollywood, gossip columnists Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper were nearly as famous as the stars they covered. The two women wielded enormous power and influenced - at the height of their success the two had a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/02/rivalry-hedda-hopper-louella-parsons-gossip-columnists">combined readership</a> of approximately 75 million people.Hopper and Parsons have both been dead for more than 50 years. But the general public remains obsessed with celebrity feuds. And with the rise of social media in the 2000s, pretty much anyone could weigh in with their opinion about beefs between celebrities like Taylor Swift and Kanye West or Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. And while some beefs passed quickly, others stayed in the news cycle for years.&nbsp;Below are some of the more infamous celebrity feuds of the 2000s. Which are you still obsessed with?

Celebrity Rivalries From The 2000s We All Took Sides In

Are you the "sports guy" on your trivia team? Meet your new secret weapon: lists about everything even you don't know about sports.

Sports Buff Stuff

For some competitive athletes, winning really is everything. Sports history is full of controversial moments in which athletes or coaches can <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/sneakiest-sporting-loopholes/tracey-graham">exploit loopholes</a> in the rules, or outright cheat. Rivalries, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/petty-sports-retributions/michael-muir">long-standing grudges</a>, big payouts, or the fierce desire to earn first-place gold or glory at any cost have led to the most controversial scandals and moments from the annals of sporting history.And pretty much all sports are in contention.

15 Of The Most Controversial Sports Moments In History

Controversial Sports Scandal History

Football fans root for a particular team based on all kinds of criteria - hometown pride, longtime loyalty, underdog status, winning record, a <a href="ranker.com/list/best-football-players-ever/ranker-nfl">superbly talented or likable player</a> or players, or an awesome coach. Go team! But for some who want to be in on football fandom without any knowledge of the game, it's all about the fashion. These style experts don't know the rules, but they know who has the most attractive uniform colors. Go jerseys!According to a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://offers.bet/best-nfl-uniforms/">2022 fan survey</a>, color (70%) and design (20%) of the uniform are the two most important factors in determining whether <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nfl-teams-worst-fans/jtdesaulnier">fans</a> like or dislike the uniform. Logos (4%) and helmets (3%) are much less important. Fashion is of course subjective, and this list of the most stylish NFL uniforms might be completely different from yours. But surely, if you're a fashionista, you must agree from a pure style standpoint that some uniforms are more chic than others.

NFL Uniforms So Sharp You’re Tempted To Root For The Teams No Matter Where You’re From

Sports Team

Stylish NFL Uniforms  

Actors' firsthand accounts of their work and personal lives as described in press junkets, talk shows, the red carpet, and their own personal media.

In Their Own Words

There are many reasons why an actor could join a successful television show in the midst of the series' run. One of the original stars could quit. Or be fired. Or (sadly) <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-passed-while-filming/famous-celebrity-deaths-list">pass away</a>. Or the producers might want to add a totally new character to move the show in a new direction or just add a new face to the existing cast.Whatever the reason, joining a successful show mid-run often comes with challenges for the actor. They might be resented by the cast members who have been on the show from the start, they might struggle to connect with their part, or maybe the fans of the show don't warm up to them. Or the actor might face any one of many other challenges. On occasion, the actor may actually fit seamlessly into the cast and crew.&nbsp;Below, &nbsp;actors talk about their experiences when they were cast in a successful <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-sitcoms-in-television-history">sitcom</a> during its run.

Actors Talk About What It Was Like To Join A Hit Sitcom In The Middle

Actor

Cheating in major sports like football, baseball, basketball, and soccer generates major headlines and can destroy reputations, if not careers. Even now, more than 100 years later, many baseball fans know what the Black Sox scandal is. If you mention “deflategate" to an NFL fan, chances are they will know that refers to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. And all kinds of competitors, from football players to Olympic athletes, have been penalized for using banned substances.But <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/professional-sports-cheating-scandals/swiperight">cheating in competitive sports</a> is not restricted to the major sports. Pretty much anything that has a competitive edge to it - from<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/14/crosswords/hans-niemann-cheating-report.html"> chess</a> to video games to fishing - is vulnerable to participants bending or breaking the rules.&nbsp;

14 Unusual Cheating Scandals That Rocked Unexpected Sports

14 Unusual Cheating Scandals In Unexpected Sports

Since television first began competing with the movies for audiences, numerous movie stars looked to TV as a way to extend or revive their careers. Some, like Lucille Ball, found far more fame on the small screen than they ever had on the big screen. Others, like Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck, were huge stars in movies and on television.The trend of faded movie stars seeing their fortunes change by heading to television has continued into the 21st century. Younger viewers may see <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/90s-movie-stars-who-went-to-tv/tyler-mitchell">Kevin Costner</a> on Yellowstone or Jane Fonda on Grace &amp; Frankie and not even realize that they were huge box office draws a few decades earlier. But they were.Which of the actors listed here would you be surprised to learn <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/next-big-thing-80s-stars-that-vanished/anncasano">used to be a movie star</a>?

13 Modern TV Stars People Forgot Were Massive Movie Stars

Modern TV Stars People Forgot Were Massive Movie Stars

Total Nerd

For as long as history has been recorded by humankind, it has been common for a child to choose the same profession as one or both of their parents. One drawback to following in a parent's footsteps is that if the parent achieves significant success and/or fame in their careers, that success can overshadow the child's achievements.This is definitely a concern for upstart actors who have <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/current-stars-with-famous-parents/carly-kiel">famous parents in the industry</a>. However, there are many examples of second and third-generation actors who have achieved a significant amount of fame in their own right. And while the general public is often aware of the connection between the actor and his famous parent, there are times when the link is not common knowledge.Here are just some of the TV stars who people might be surprised to learn have at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/firsthand-accounts-of-famous-parents/ivey-nucilli">least one famous parent</a>. Vote up the thespians you were unaware grew up in the shadow of the limelight.

14 TV Stars You Didn't Realize Have Famous Parents

TV Stars With Famous Parents

Before tickets even went on sale, every major motion picture employed dozens of people and cost thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Here is how some of them screwed it all up.

Famous Film Fails

Fails

Every year there are films that become very successful at the box office. It could be a film made on a limited budget that comes out of nowhere to grab the attention of audiences, or it could be a big blockbuster with a huge production budget and equally large marketing campaign that builds buzz about the film weeks - or even months - before it is released.The flip side of these financially successful projects is the films that spectacularly fail to live up to expectations at the box office. These unfortunate films are often derided as “flops.” If one looks closely enough, it can be seen that many of these box office “flops” were doomed to fail right from the start.&nbsp;For example, maybe there are production issues that cause the film to fall behind schedule or go over budget. Or perhaps the marketing campaign goes with a strategy that fails to build any buzz. Maybe the market for a particular genre of movie is oversaturated, resulting in audience fatigue.Of course, not all films that are considered “flops” <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/notorious-flops-that-made-money/nathan-gibson">actually lose money</a>. Even if it may not make back its production and marketing costs on its original release, a movie can still eventually do so through revenue streams such as home video sales, television residuals, merchandise, or re-releases.Here are some of the more memorable “flops" in Hollywood history. Which ones do you think were seemingly doomed to fail?

12 Box Office Flops That Were Doomed To Fail

Box Office Flops That Were Doomed To Fail

Lists of fascinating print ads, notable advertising campaigns, and tons of TV commercials we'll never forget.

Great Moments in Advertising

1990s

While marketing has always played a part in determining the success or failure of a movie, it wasn't until the 1980s that studios really began doing all-out marketing blitzes to promote their films. Some of the marketing concepts, such as the distribution company for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-horror-movie-marketing-campaigns/josh-buono">indie horror film </a>The Blair Witch Project arranging to have IMDb list the film's main actors as being “missing presumed dead," or Independence Day having a news special on Fox depicting a supposedly real alien onslaught, are meant to drive curiosity about the film's storyline. Others are intended to encourage filmgoers to buy merchandise connected to the film. In fact, some studios<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-that-made-money-merchandising/jacob-shelton"> have made as much - if not more - money off merchandise</a> connected to the movie than they did at the box office.And it's not just the film companies that can profit from a successful marketing campaign; many outside brands, from fast-food chains like McDonald's to toy companies like Mattel, have found major success by agreeing to do promotional tie-ins with movies like Batman or The Lion King.Whatever the specific aim, it appears that massive promotional campaigns for movies are here to stay. Here are some of the most aggressive film marketing campaigns of the 1980s and 1990s. Which ones were the most memorable?&nbsp;

The Most Relentless Movie Marketing Blitzes Of The ‘80s And ‘90s

Relentless Movie Marketing Blitzes Of The ‘80s And ‘90s

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, wigs and prosthetics are windows into the makeup department, project budget, and studio demands. 

Hair & Makeup & Wardrobe

Behind The Scenes

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-sci-fi-fashion-in-movies/renata-carmen">Han Solo's outfit in Star Wars: A New Hope</a>. Cher Horowitz's trendy yellow plaid skirt and jacket in Clueless. Or the titular character's pink prom dress that ends up being soaked with pig's blood in Carrie. Movie costumes like these are memorable not just because they are fashionable or unique in some way, but because they either invoke a definite time or place or they give the audience real insight into the wearer's character. The most famous costumes often achieve both of these objectives. For example, in Grease, the poodle skirts, saddle shoes, and leather jackets all invoke the 1950s, but the different outfits also separate the “good” kids like Sandy from the “bad” greasers like Danny.Here are some of the standout looks from film history. Vote up your favorites!

Iconic Movie Outfits You’d Love To Have In Your Wardrobe

Football

While football is. first and foremost, a sport, it is also a form of entertainment, complete with a range of personalities. So it probably should not be a big surprise that many NFL players have pursued an acting career - once their playing days have come to an end. Or sometimes even while they are still playing.Take Jim Brown, the Hall of Fame running back who became a movie star by starring in the “blaxploitation” films of the 1970s. Or Merlin Olsen, who went from fierce Hall of Fame defensive lineman to starring in his own television series (Father Murphy) after being Michael Landon's sidekick on one of the most popular shows of the 1970s and early 1980s (Little House on the Prairie).But it's not just Hall of Famers who have found success as actors. Carl Weathers is likely far more known for portraying Apollo Creed in the Rocky films than he is for his brief NFL career. Terry Crews likewise is better known for his acting career than he is for his time as a professional football player. Then there's Nnamdi Asomugha, a former All-Pro defensive back who Variety named one of a handful of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://variety.com/2017/film/in-contention/summer-movies-breakout-performances-2017-tiffany-haddish-1202539782/">breakout stars</a> in for his performance in the film Crown Heights.Of course not every former NFL player who has pursued an acting career has gone on to have success. More of these players will be known for doing cameos as themselves or appearing in commercials than would be considered true movie or TV stars. Still, there have been some true success stories. So, out of the following list of former NFL players, which have gone on to have the best acting careers?

The Best Former NFL Players Turned Actors

When it comes to television series, not every episode is regarded in the same light. Often there is <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/making-of-tv-very-special-episodes/tracey-graham">at least one episode</a> that stands out above the others. It could be because it had a plot that was really different from what the show was known for. It could be because it introduced <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/stories-about-sitcom-finales/tracey-graham">or said goodbye</a> to an important character. It could deal with a controversial topic. Or maybe it just drew a huge audience.So how did the creators and writers come up with the ideas for some of the most memorable sitcom episodes in television history? The stories below should help provide some answers.

Behind-The-Scenes Stories About Famous Sitcom Episodes

TV Program

There are few topics more divisive than politics. No matter how good someone's intentions may be, voicing a political opinion, especially in this era of social media where commenters can hide behind their anonymity, can <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/times-artists-updated-their-own-work/lauren-glen">result in massive backlash</a>.&nbsp;That backlash is often magnified when it is a celebrity who decides to wade into the political arena. Reactions can vary from the celebrity being mocked, to getting called entitled, self-centered or tone deaf, to being told to keep quiet or “stay in your lane." Sometimes they will even be labeled as anti-American or receive death threats.And if they do an about face and apologize for, rescind, or reverse their original comments, they can receive criticism for that as well, as these are often viewed very cynically as an attempt to protect the person's career and/or specific project that he might currently be promoting.Here are a few of the many celebrities <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/misunderstood-celebrity-scandals/donn-saylor">who have become embroiled in controversy</a> for wading into the world of international politics.&nbsp;

Times Celebrities Waded Into International Politics - And Received Backlash For it

Fun facts and wild true stories from behind the scenes of some of history's most beloved and infamous movies.

Movies in the Making

A League of Their Own (1992)

In 1987, a short documentary about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL; 1943-1954)&nbsp;aired on television, catching the attention of producer and director Penny Marshall. The documentary inspired the making of the feature film&nbsp;A League of Their Own, which became a commercial and critical hit when it was released in 1992.

Behind the scenes, the cast members trained hard to convincingly portray baseball players, even suffering&nbsp;real injuries in the process. Many of the details in the film, such as the players being sent to charm school, having chaperones, and being forced to play in skirts, are based on the real experiences of the&nbsp;AAGPBL athletes.&nbsp;

While the film project hit some stumbling blocks along the way - the original studio placed it in turnaround and several of the actors originally cast dropped out or were replaced - <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/final-film-appearances/loganrapp?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the final film</a> remains one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-inspirational-sports-movies" target="_blank">most entertaining and inspirational</a>&nbsp;sports movies in Hollywood history. In 2012, it was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry. And in 2020, <a href="https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/a-league-of-their-own-series-amazon-1234727631/" target="_blank">Amazon announced</a> it had picked up a TV series version of the film; the show will follow a new set of characters as they attempt to become professional baseball players.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the film, Tom Hanks&#39;s character memorably claimed, &quot;There&#39;s no crying in baseball!&quot;&nbsp;That may or may not be true, but what&nbsp;is&nbsp;true is that the making of&nbsp;A League of Their Own sounds as fun as the finished movie.

Behind-The-Scenes Stories From ‘A League of Their Own,’ The Most Rewatchable Sports Movie

Behind The Scenes Stories From 'A League Of Their Own'

Tom Cruise has been one of the biggest movie stars in the world for more than 30 years. From his star-making role in 1983's Risky Business to his more recent films like 2018's Mission: Impossible - Fallout, the actor has worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of producers, directors, writers, co-stars, and crew members.&nbsp;And, as has been the case with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/people-talk-about-nicolas-cage/pierce-nahigyan">other famous actors</a>, many people have told their stories about what it was like to work and/or just hang out with Cruise. Perhaps not surprisingly given the length of his career, some people have had very positive experiences dealing with the actor, while others have not.Below are just some of those stories about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tom-cruise-over-the-top-role/melissa-sartore">dealing with Tom Cruise</a> on and off the set.

What People Who Know Tom Cruise Had To Say About Him

What Tom Cruise's Costars Had To Say About Him

Think the whole world revolves around you? Read about some Very Important Historical Figures and the fascinating lives they led while changing the world and having no idea that you even exist.

People of the Past

Historical Figures

Over the course of history, many scientific and medical&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/true-crazy-historic-theories/ivey-nucilli">discoveries</a>&nbsp;have been ignored, mocked, or met with open hostility. A physician was thought to have lost his mind when he theorized that medical personnel simply washing their hands before examining pregnant patients greatly reduced the chances of the patients dying of childbed fever; he eventually was confined to a mental institution. The British explorer who discovered that members of a lost expedition may have resorted to cannibalism in a failed attempt to survive became the victim of a vicious smear campaign that damaged his reputation and may have cost him a knighthood. Both men's theories turned out to be spot-on.Of course, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/mysterious-ancient-scientific-discoveries-and-inventions/kellen-perry">scientific discoveries</a> aren't the only things that can struggle to find wide acceptance. So can speaking out about controversial topics.&nbsp;Sinéad O'Connor learned this when she received major backlash&nbsp;after tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II during an appearance on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-shocking-snl-moments/best-of-snl">Saturday Night Live</a>; the singer was attempting&nbsp;to expose the Catholic Church's complicity in covering up child sexual abuse being committed by some priests. Corey Feldman, meanwhile, was accused of trying to destroy an&nbsp;entire industry when he spoke out about how he and other child actors had been abused. And no one believed Greg LeMond when he accused fellow cyclist Lance Armstrong - regarded by many as a hero - of doping. Again, all of these allegations eventually proved to be true.Below are some of the more memorable times when people who were originally mocked, ignored, or called out turned out to be correct about what they claimed.

People The World Mocked Who Turned Out To Be Right

People Who Were Mocked That Turned Out To Be Right

Wrestling

The world of pro wrestling is a combination of an often violent competitive sport and a kind of live theater, complete with&nbsp;characters who have sometimes over-the-top storylines meant to promote the wrestler and/or the brand. The WWE, ECW, TNA, and other pro wrestling groups have built large audiences for their products by both blurring and exaggerating the line between the real and the scripted and by turning the wrestlers into larger-than-life &quot;heroes&quot; or &quot;villains&quot; the audience can root for or against.&nbsp;

Because pro wrestling is presented as this blend of reality and scripted spectacle, it shouldn&#39;t be a surprise that the sport has received more than its share of backlash over the years. From storylines that crossed the lines of good taste to steroid scandals to faked deaths and real-life murder-suicides, here are some of the most controversial events in the history of the sport.

12 Pro Wrestling Controversies That Left People Outraged

Event

Pro Wrestling Controversies That Left People Outraged

Before Michael J. Fox was&nbsp;Back to the Future&#39;s teenaged time traveler, Tom Hanks won multiple Academy Awards for his film work, or <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-olsen-twins/anncasano?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the Olsen twins</a> established their fashion empire, they were among the actors who starred in a 1980s sitcom. Now, a conservative yuppie teen (Fox) living with his liberal, ex-hippie parents, a struggling ad man (Hanks) pretending to be a woman in order to rent affordable housing, and a toddler (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) being raised by her widowed father and his two best friends&nbsp;don&#39;t have much in common as characters. But that just underscores the diversity of sitcoms in the 1980s.

The decade was definitely big on <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-shows-about-families/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">sitcoms about families</a>, both &quot;conventional&quot; and &quot;unconventional&quot;; for example, in their own way, the four best friends living together in&nbsp;The Golden Girls&nbsp;and the four best friends attending boarding school together in&nbsp;The Facts of Life&nbsp;formed their own kind of &quot;family&quot; units as much as the parent-children groups on shows like&nbsp;Family Ties, Full House,&nbsp;or&nbsp;Married... with Children&nbsp;did.&nbsp;Workplace comedies featuring ensemble casts, such as&nbsp;Cheers, Night Court, and Designing Women,&nbsp;were also big in the 1980s.

But no matter the setting of a show or the topics&nbsp;it explored, pretty much every sitcom in the 1980s likely had interesting behind-the-scenes stories. Some of those stories are explored below.

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